1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a variable liquid device and an apparatus including the variable liquid device, and more particularly, to a variable liquid device including channels having inconsistent heights and an apparatus including the variable liquid device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technology of adjusting and controlling light transmittance is widely applied to apertures or shutters in imaging apparatuses, or to drive pixels in image display apparatuses.
In a related art optical system, a variable aperture is operated by adjusting a plurality of metal blades; however, mechanical movements, frictional force, and usage of movable mechanical elements result in restricting miniaturization.
An electro-heating or an electrostatic micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) aperture has been suggested; however, an aperture (AD) unit is non-circular, there is a gap between blades, and a maximum aperture ratio with respect to an entire device area is low, 1% or less.
Owing to the development of an optofluidic technology combining micro-optics and microfluidics, a variable aperture adjusting an aperture ratio by deforming a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane by using air pressure has been suggested. A resolution of the variable aperture has been improved by using a three-dimensional structure and a capillary force. Such a variable aperture has a higher AD ratio than that of the related art MEMS aperture; however, a syringe pump has to be used to drive the variable aperture.